BIFMA Releases New Edition of Lounge Seating Standard

Furniture World Magazine

BIFMA International announces the availability of the latest edition of the Lounge Seating Standard. The new edition, ANSI/BIFMA X5.4-2005 was released February 27, 2006. This standard is intended to provide manufacturers, specifiers, and users with a common basis of evaluating the safety, durability, and structural adequacy of business and institutional lounge seating. The standard describes the means of evaluating lounge seating, independent of construction materials, manufacturing processes, mechanical designs or aesthetic designs. The X5.4 standard defines specific tests, the laboratory equipment that may be used, the conditions of tests, and the minimum acceptance levels to be used in evaluating lounge seating. The acceptance levels given in this standard are based on the actual field use and test experience of BIFMA International members. The tests in this standard are intended to assess the performance of new products only. They are not intended to assess a product that has been in use. This standard does not address general-purpose office chairs or seating used for stadiums, auditoriums, lecture rooms and similar high-density public seating areas. This standard does not address flammability, surface material durability, cushioning materials, product emissions, or ergonomic considerations. These products and test methods are addressed in other test methods. Copies of the ANSI/BIFMA X5.4-2005 are available in electronic (pdf file) or paper copy. A copy of the Standard Order Form can be downloaded from the BIFMA web-site at http://www.bifma.org or contact the office directly at 616-285-3963.